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Joe Zepecki explains why Dems have enjoyed a financial advantage in Wisconsin Supreme Court races recently—in large part because big donors don't trust the state GOP. Now, though, the world's richest man is trying to change that. Listen to the whole episode: www.the-downballot.com/p/how-dems-a...

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

The battle for the Wisconsin Supreme Court is the most important election between now and November. On this week's episode of The Downballot podcast, veteran strategist Joe Zepecki (@jz414.bsky.social) joins us to break down everything we need to know about the April 1 race. Listen here!

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

This is why you fight these cowards. The moment you stand up to them, they crumble. Homan has nothing. The Fourth Amendment is clear and I am well within my duties to educate people of their rights. He can threaten me with jail and call names all he wants. He’s got nothing else.

submitted 4 days ago • 8247 comments

We're celebrating the third anniversary of The Downballot podcast this week, so we're delighted to welcome the one and only @daveweigel.bsky.social on the show! Dave's ubiquitous coverage of campaigns has been indispensable for years. It's a fantastic, wide-ranging discussion. Listen here!

submitted 9 days ago • 1 comment

Walz probably has right of first refusal but I really like Angie Craig here if he doesn't run

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

#BREAKING: A North Carolina judge has rejected all three of Griffin's Supreme Court election protests, finding that the State Board of Elections exercised its proper authority. Griffin is expected to appeal to a more GOP-friendly Court of Appeals. #ncpol andersonalerts.substack.com/p/nc-judge-r...

submitted 15 days ago • 8 comments

The state of campaign finance is a true Wild West, but there are positive laws and changes at the state level. Adav Noti of @campaignlegal.org explains how we got here, and how reform could move forward at the federal level in the future, in our newest episode of The Downballot podcast.

submitted 16 days ago • 2 comments

Congressman @beyer.house.gov will be going to USAID today with colleagues to shine a light on what is happening there, I think others will join us. Figuring out details now and will share but flagging now for press and public in the area

submitted 19 days ago • 523 comments

Buttigieg’s response to Trump vis Twitter, on multiple levels:

submitted 23 days ago • 99 comments

It's only January, but it's been a hell of a week for downballot news, starting with a massive Dem upset in an Iowa special election. @davidnir.com & @dwbeard.bsky.social dive deep into that story and much, much more on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast. Listen or find a transcript here!

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

The Trump Chaos Cuts are threatening the safety and well being of Americans everywhere—from our children and elderly, to police and veterans. The administration needs to provide answers now.

submitted 25 days ago • 56 comments

Our guest this week on The Downballot podcast is PA Lt. Gov. Austin Davis (@lgaustindavis.bsky.social), who's also the new chair of the @demlgs.org. We dive deep into the importance of the LG job and Davis' efforts to elect more Democrats like him. Listen here!

submitted 30 days ago • 1 comment

You can't understand elections without election results, but simply gathering that data is a herculean task. We're talking with @dwillis.bsky.social, founder of OpenElections, on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast to shed light on this crucial endeavor!

submitted 37 days ago • 1 comment

The first episode of The Downballot podcast is here! Co-hosts @davidnir.com and @dwbeard.bsky.social dive into Virginia Democrats’ special election wins, the North Carolina GOP’s effort to overturn an election the Democrat won, and the wild situation in the Minnesota House.

submitted 44 days ago • 2 comments

New in @the-downballot.com: I take a detailed look at the downballot career of Jimmy Carter, which began with him overcoming attempt to steal his state Senate race from him and culminated with the new governor shocking Georgia by proclaiming, “The time for racial discrimination is over.”

submitted 54 days ago • 2 comments

In history books, this will probably be the #1 explanation for the politics of our time.

submitted 73 days ago • 12 comments

It's been a good news/bad news week for Democrats and democracy in North Carolina: Allison Riggs was confirmed as the winner of a second recount, but the GOP just passed a flagrant power grab. @davidnir.com & @dwbeard.bsky.social discuss it all on this week's episode of The Downballot podcast

submitted 72 days ago • 0 comments

In a very tough year for Democrats, many of EMILYs List's endorsed candidates still managed to win. Jessica Mackler, president of @emilyslist.bsky.social, joins us on The Downballot podcast this week to explain how they pulled it off. Listen here -->

submitted 79 days ago • 1 comment

The Associated Press has officially joined Bluesky. Follow us at @apnews.com.

submitted 79 days ago • 107 comments

I came onto Bluesky an hour ago, and the first two things I saw were posts providing useful context for understanding the imposition of martial law in South Korea—the exact kind of thing that Twitter used to be so useful for in a developing crisis.

submitted 81 days ago • 402 comments

“Don’t feed the trolls” also extends to bad opinion pieces in papers of record. They run them bc people react to them the most. If we stop linking to bad columns and instead post thinkers we find valuable (& generate convo around it), incentives change. It’s not easy and takes constant practice!

submitted 82 days ago • 2304 comments

The longest current winning streak for a political party in any statewide office in America belongs to the Republican Party for winning every single election for North Dakota State Auditor since 1894.

submitted 87 days ago • 1 comment

Wow: Huge vote update today for Democrat Adam Gray, who has now taken the lead in #CA13 against the Republican incumbent. Makes GOP House majority very shaky.

submitted 88 days ago • 4 comments

The best that labor could have hoped for

submitted 91 days ago • 0 comments

@skeetstats.xyz !optin

submitted 91 days ago • 1 comment

Looking at the 2026 Senate map and it's not great but it's not that bad for Democrats - candidate recruitment will be a huge early factor - Brown/Ryan in Ohio, will Peltola (AK) and Sands (IA) run for governor or senate, termed out Governor Kelly in KS.

submitted 93 days ago • 0 comments

I mentioned on the podcast that these four were high on my list of Senators most likely to rebel against Trump (Todd Young from IN was the other)

submitted 93 days ago • 1 comment

Joining us on The Downballot podcast this week is one of our favorite reporters, @abbyliv.bsky.social of @pucknews.bsky.social, who helps us answer a major question: Why did so many Republicans run behind Trump this year? Listen here!

submitted 93 days ago • 1 comment

HOUSE MATH UPDATE after #OH09 call for Dems: Called races: 218 R - 213 D #AKAL should get resolved via RCV tonight - likely R #IA01 headed to recount - likely R #CA13 R up just 227 votes - 🤷‍♀️ #CA45 D now up 314 votes & trends favorable - lean D

submitted 94 days ago • 0 comments

I’m just going to call them tweets. I don’t care. Skeets, sneets, tootles, snuffaloons, get that Dr Seuss-ass nomenclature tf away from me

submitted 94 days ago • 3 comments

Democrats taking the Senate in 2006 was impossible at first (they needed 6 seats on a tough map) and then they did it

submitted 97 days ago • 0 comments

MASSIVE UPDATE IN WAKE COUNTY: THE RACE FOR SUPREME COURT HAS FLIPPED Allison Riggs gains 5,105 votes. Jefferson Griffin gains 2,223 votes. That means Riggs nets 2,882 votes from the Wake County canvass, enough to give her a lead of 129 votes statewide. #ncpol

submitted 99 days ago • 3 comments

On Tuesday, Mike Johnson begged Trump to stop raiding the House for more cabinet picks. On Wednesday, Trump raided the House for more cabinet picks. This week on The Downballot podcast, @davidnir.bsky.social & @dwbeard.bsky.social explain how Trump is making the House even less governable

submitted 100 days ago • 1 comment

I think there's a pretty straightforward path to 216 seats for Democrats based on CA's late mail (Specifically flipping 13, 27, 45, and 47 from current R leads). Getting to 218 is tough and would need to include two of AK-AL, CA-22, CA-41, AZ-1, AZ-6

submitted 107 days ago • 0 comments

It's here! The Downballot's famous poll closing times map is back, sponsored by 314 Action! In the map below, all times are Eastern, but we have versions for every U.S. time zone (including territories!), plus one for color-blind folks. Find them here: www.the-downballot.com/p/the-downba...

submitted 114 days ago • 4 comments